Genetic Code:
DNA consists of the four nucleotide bases: adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine
(C) and thymine (T). RNA contains the nucleotides adenine, guanine, cytosine
and uracil (U).
The genetic code is the sequence of nucleotide bases in nucleic acids (DNA and
RNA) that code for amino acid chains in proteins. or three continuous
nucleotide bases code for an amino acid or signal the beginning or end of
protein synthesis , the set is known as a codon.
The genetic code by which DNA stores the genetic information consists of
"codons" of three nucleotides. These triplet sets provide the instructions for the
production of amino acids. Amino acids are linked together to form proteins.
With four possible bases, the three nucleotides can give 43 = 64 different
possibilities, and these combinations are used to specify the 20 different amino
acids used by living organisms.
Genetic Code Properties:
1) The code is a triplet codon: The nucleotides of mRNA are arranged as a linear
sequence of codons, each codon consisting of three successive nitrogenous
bases, i.e., the code is a triplet codon.
2) The code is non-ambiguous: There is no ambiguity in the genetic code. This
means each triplet codes for only one amino acid. In case of ambiguous code,
the same codon could code two or more than two different amino acids.
3) The code is degenerate: The genetic code is degenerate or redundant, which
means there is more than one triplet code for many of the amino acids.
Methionine and tryptophan each are coded by just one triplet. Arginine, leucine,
and serine each are coded by six triplets. The other 15 amino acids are coded by
two, three, and four tripl ets.
As an example, glycine is coded by GGU, GGA, GGG, and GGC.
4) The code has polarity: The code is always read in a fixed direction, i.e., in the
5’→3′ direction. In other words, the codon has a polarity. It is apparent that if
the code is read in opposite directions, it would specify two different proteins.
5) Some codes act as stop codons: Three codons UAG, UAA and UGA are the
chain stop or termination codons. They do not code for any of the amino acids.
These codons are not read by any tRNA molecules (via their anticodons), but
are read by some specific proteins, called release factors (e.g., RF-1, RF-2, RF-
3 in prokaryotes and RF in eukaryotes). These codons are also called nonsense
codons, since they do not specify any amino acid.
6) Some codes act as start codons:In most organisms, AUG codon is the start or
initiation codon, i.e., the polypeptide chain starts with methionine.
7) The code is universal: The genetic code is universal for all organisms on Earth.
Viruses, bacteria, plants, and animals all use the same genetic code to form
proteins from RNA.
8) The code is commaless or unpunctuated: The genetic code is commaless,
which means that there is no punctuation between each codon. It means that
after one amino acid is coded, the second amino acid will be automatically
coded by the next three letters and that no letters are wasted as the punctuation
marks.
UCC |G|GAA|A|CUC|C|UUU|C|A G C|C|C U C|A|U C= punctuation code
UCCGGAAACUCCUUUCA G CCC U CAU C= unpunctuation code
9) The code is non-overlapping: In mRNA the codons do not overlap but are
“read” sequentially. Thus, a non-overlapping code means that a base in mRNA
is not used for different codons.